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Monthly Archives: June 2014

I celebrated Memorial Day a week later than most, because I arrived in Charlotte 19 years ago on June 1, leaving upstate NY after a final NYC holiday weekend. Tercel packed to the gills and my trusty Miyata 12 spd. on the back, I emerged from the Holland Tunnel into a thundering hail storm, made a bad decision getting off 81 before Ronoake, and took part of Tues. cutting across southern Virginia futilely trying to catch *something* to get me to Charlotte.

Anyway, 19 years, and here’s how I’ll always remember my terrific nephew and Blackhawk helicopter pilot Lt. Curtiss Shorkey from that day before: he wouldn’t give me a hug goodbye, and I 100% understood, ‘cuz I get teary thinking about how bad my leaving made him feel. At 38 I had plenty of previous exits, but that five year old I loved the best (I maintain a favorite is granted aunts and uncles, whatever the rationale) touched me that deep from really early on. He is genuinely liked by everyone I’ve ever met, a straight-shooter you KNOW would do the Right Thing in any imaginable situation. If I ever get married, he’s the guy I want standing next to me, even if its just because that uniform *always* makes for a better picture.
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I spent a quite satisfying final week of the month knocking out sales goals with Jack, and as they say in Charlotte, from Thurs. on “we was gettin’ us some gravy,” to go with a Nautica bonus we’d already qualified for. Ended up $10,000 over budget, but the bonus is on total, so we sopped us up a mess of gravy. I’m always willing to help the economy when there’s a bit of extra cash, and I guess it’s definitely time for a new basketball, even if that wonderous ‘J’ of mine is no more…

Besides putting head down and producing, I’m reasonably pleased with having put WRITING in front of alternatives several times this week and invested ‘extra’ hours in developing my second book. That I sell a copy a day of my FIRST book, ‘CARDS & CONSEQUENCES: Return of Marlena the Magnificent’ is part of the deal, but doing that creative process again engenders a lot of hopeful enthusiasm.

I’ve regarded situation at MSER (Major SouthEastern Retailer) as ‘cash cow’ and BPBPJ (bill paying, benefit providing job), but having physical copies that people are willing to give me $18-20 for, that counts for a lot in the Bigger Picture. Like they always tell musicians and actors, “don’t quit your day job,” and while I continue searching for more appropriate uses for my organizational talents, putting some meat on the bones for Book #2 was a good use of Memorial Week-19th anniversary. I enjoyed an outstanding dinner at Miro Spanish Grille with b-day girl/manager Anne on Sat., couldn’t have asked for a more empowering finale than to know I will get to take it off my taxes too. I’ve got my personal days off arranged for later this month so I can fulfill commitment I made to So. Carolina HOBY organization about getting a childrens read-along book project to completion, and on Memorial Day, when we admire commitment just a little more, I’ll try doing all I can.

With thanks to my own uncles and Dad for their past service: Donnie (Air Force), Howard (Marines), Dad and Harold (Navy). While I always remember Curt, I know my cousin Frank Ball has a son in the Navy he’s exceptionally proud of too, so kudos there. I had opportunity to give a military person a 10% discount the other day, and I believe we should all take every small thing we can do and affirm that we know and give thanks for what they do for us. I saw a short note while scrolling on FB the other day: If you don’t support our military before and after a war, you don’t support the military, you support war. ‘Nuff said.

Oh, except that the working title for next book is, 3rd Time, Lots Less Nice.